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Alefba

Farshchian

Sehaty Foreign Exchange

    Letters

Thursday
January 11, 2001

The problem is violence, not Iranian men

Reza, your response ["Feminazis..."]to my letter ["Thank Gof for..."] offers no concrete answer to or argument against anything I've said. I do have one question. Do you know what feminism is? You probably can't even define it so I won't get into it. But, I am for women's rights. Yes I believe women are equal to men and have the right to choose who they want to be with. You do not, I take it?

The racial issue became a gender issue when people started advocating terrorizing women because of who they choose to date or marry. That position and that letter should be condemned by everybody, including you. Or is this an acceptable proposition to you?

I think Iranian men are fabuolous, and as a personal preference, I couldn't imagine being with a non-Iranian. Most Iranian men I have met have been successful, passionate, caring, loving people. I have nothing against Iranian men. I DO have something against weak people trying to oppress or discriminate against people who are different from them to gain a sense of power or superiority, whether these people are men, women, Blacks, Whites, Iranians, non-Iranians, heterosexuals, or homosexuals.

I am of the belief that we should value humankind above race, ethnicity, religion, gender, and sexual orientation. Is that a good enough "euphemism" for you? I believe in universal rights for human beings. How about that? If you need more elaboration, or more "euphemisms," I would be more than happy to engage in a discussion on human rights, race and gender relations. But only if you promise to share your euphemisms as well.

I don't believe I have generalized about any group. My letter was written in response to two letters ["Terrorize women...", "Iran has seen worse..."], which I not only disagree with, but are filled with ideas I believe to be extremely detrimental to the progress of our culture and society. I also targeted people who might share the views of the authors of those letters since one stated that the "silent majority" thinks like he does. I responded hypothetically to his statement despite the fact that I doubt its veracity. So as it turns out, it is the author of that letter who has generalized about Iranians, not me. It is also the authors of those two letters, backed up by you, who initially made this a gender issue, not me.

Interestingly enough, I don't think you disagree with anything I've said or at least you haven't made clear what you disagree with. I never attacked you. I attacked those people who made racist comments or advocated the terrorizing of Iranian women. Those two people happen to be Iranian men and yes, they are bigots. I'm sorry you don't like it, I don't either, but it is true. I would have written a similar letter to any other group infringing on the safety and freedom of another group, even if they were women. You are attacking me while you should be attacking the harmful ideas promulgated by those in a group to which you belong. Isn't THAT what's making you feel awful and unproud as an Iranian man? The way you are being represented by them?

You cannot deflect responsibility to me simply because I am a woman who is pointing out the weaknesses in their arguments. Instead, why don't you tell us where you stand on interracial marriage and the freedom for Iranians to choose their partner. Oh wait, if I remember right, you said you agreed with me? Your letter, in essence, says: I agree with you, but since you're a woman out-arguing the racist and chauvinistic arguments of a few men, then, you must be a dreaded Iranian feminist who hates Iranian men and wants to take all their false power away from them. Therefore, you're wrong. Nice argument there. :)

Dokhi Fassihian

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